skybytch

Nice. Thanks, Sangiro.

Is there some part of "user assumes all risks" that isn't clear? If you could tell when you put the Neptune in that the nut was touching it, why'd you jump it?

I've thought of doing something similar... but instead of one for every hundred jumps, I'd do one for each friend I've lost to this sport. Unfortunately that list will keep getting longer even if I never jump again.

I'm alive (the pain is a great reminder of that). I hit the jackpot in the s/o lottery. I get to go to school. I have awesome friends. My dog is happily asleep on the couch. Life is good.

How's your head this morning? btw, tough women do cry when life throws shit at them. It's okay to rail at the injustice of it all, drink heavily, throw things at the walls and scream loud enough to cover the pain. For awhile, it's okay. What makes you a tough woman is that when you're done feeling sorry for yourself you get back up, dust yourself off and get on with it. Now go get your homework done. Whoever did whatever they did is not worth messing up what's really important to you right now.

Eloquently stated. I agree 100%.

Tequila bad... That said, Don Julio is pretty good. You should drink with Jim Mathews; he's definitely a tequila connoisseur. Just don't try to outdrink him! btw, the weather is beautiful; why aren't you at the dz?!?!?

What makes you think that canopy traffic is not an issue at every dropzone in the world? News flash for ya - it is. What makes you think that the exact same thing couldn't happen at the dropzone you jump at? News flash for ya - it can. Your logic makes as much sense as mine would if I said that I'll never jump at Quantum Leap because they had a plane crash.

You are such a girly man.

I'm all for it. The more horrible outcomes that people see on TV, the more likely they are to understand that skydiving is not a safe activity should they decide they want to try it. I can't comment on the BASE angle because I'm too chicken to be a BASE jumper.

Aw dammit. I was lucky enough to be on some Fielding loads (I was B list ). He put together some fun skydives and a really fun group of people to skydive with. BSBD Steve. And hugs to Sharron.

If I'm remembering my history correctly, Istel also ran a dz at Hemet, California at about the same time.

Hmm.. didn't think of it that way. I don't have the pins or plates but I do have the surgery scar. Thought about putting the tat over the scar but I've already sworn that I won't get a tat in the slut spot. imho, that'd be really cool. I gots nuttin' but respect for those of you who started on rounds and are still jumping today.

Yup. That's why I'm waiting until I've got 20 years in the sport to get my skydiving related tattoo (assuming that I can still jump 3 years from now). That's about when I feel it will have been a part of my life long enough to warrant having a representation of it on my body.

I doubt they'll let you jump without one of their instructors if you don't have the A yet. But I'd bet they'd be happy to let you fly in the tunnel.

Were you one year old on the day you were born?

What Bonnie said. I also miss her hugs and the fun that was guaranteed to happen when she was around. I'm glad she knew that I loved her. Long time. No shit.

My ex b/f. We started jumping at the same time (it was his fault, too). He quit when he broke his leg 5 years later. He'll never jump again. Steve and Jeff each had about 100 jumps when I started. They both quit about 6 years later; neither has jumped since but Steve keeps telling me he's going to jump again "soon." Harry had almost 1000 jumps from the 70's when he came to the dz in 1990 to get back into it. He quit again in 2002. Also keeps talking about getting back into it, but I doubt he will. Gregg threw me out of the plane on my first jump. He quit in the mid-90's. Recently reconnected with him; says he keeps his rig in date (he's a rigger) just in case he can "find the time" to get back out to a dz.

I got an A on my history paper and an A on my algebra test.

Do you know diablopilot? That might be why.

"Brilliant Information Technology Consulting Heroine."

There's a good reason for that...

Agreed. And we all know who the 2 great performers were. Me either. Forgetting the words is a big deal. But he took it well; I think he knew he was fucked. According to a bulletin I saw on my myspace, people who listen to Howard Stern. Apparently Simon said he'd quit the show if Sanjaya wins, so Stern is telling his listeners to vote for him. Yet another reason I wouldn't listen to Howard Stern, even if he were still on free radio...

Ask three skydivers which boogies to go to and you'll get three different answers. Choose based on your schedule, location and budget. You'll have fun at any of them. That said, I think that if you have the whole summer to play and an unlimited budget to play on you should plan to go to Skyfest, WFFC, Summerfest in Chicago, Lost Prairie in Montana and Couch Freaks. Bring your cast iron liver.

You need to know what size MLW will likely fit you best. Take your height (in inches) and subtract your inseam (crotch to floor in inches) and then subtract 20; the result will be close to the length MLW will fit you best. For example, I'm 5'8" and have a 33" inseam. 68" minus 33" minus 20 = 15 - so a 15" MLW should (and does) fit me well. Each manufacturer has their own way of noting harness size. Javelin/Odyssey is commonly C17, C18 (C indicates yoke size, B yokes are also common; the number indicates MLW length). Other manufacturers go into more detail, listing offset and lateral length. As long as the person the container was built for isn't hugely different in shape than you are (ie you're 5'8" and 190 lbs and the seller is 5'8" and 110 lbs), the laterals, legstraps and offset shouldn't be an issue. Just in case, always be sure that the seller is willing to take the gear back and refund your money if the harness doesn't fit. You need to know what size canopies you intend to put in the container. With that information, go to the websites of the manufacturers of containers you are looking for and check their container sizing chart to determine what size you need. Note that each manufacturer has their own shorthand for labeling the container size; Javelin/Odyssey is J3k, J5, etc; Wings is W4, W7, etc; Infinity is I33, I42, etc., Vector3 is V310, V350, etc. With those two bits of information (your MLW size and the container size you need for each brand you are interested in buying), buying a used container sight unseen online becomes simple... well, simpler anyway.